Making fastener stringers



Dec. 20, 1927.

G. SUNDBACK MAKING FASTENER STRINGERS ATTRNEY G. SUNDBACK MAKING FASTENER STRINGERS 17 Sheets-Sheet 2 yled April 50. 1924 lNENToR v ATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1927.

G. SUNDBACK MAKING FASTENER STRINGERS 17 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 30. 1924 ATTORNEY G. SUNDBACK MAKING FAS'IENER STRINGERS Dec. 20, 1927.

INTOR f9.4' l /2 "D" n I ATTORNEY 17- Sheets-Sheet 5` ATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1927.

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1,653,320 G. SUNDBACK MAKING FASTENER STRINGERS Filed April 30. 1924 1'7 Sheec-Sheet 6 NVENTOR BWM/Z l ATTORNEY 17 -Sheet-Shee's 7 50 ATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1927.

G. SUNDBCK MAKING FASTENER STRINGERS 17 Sheet-Sheetl 8 INVENTOR ATTORNEY G. SUNDBACK MAKING FASTENER STRINGERS Filed April 3o. 1924 17 Sheets-SheetI 9 ffy f3 INV TOR ATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1927.

G. sUNDBAcK MAKING FASTENER STRING Filed April 30. 1924 ERS 17 Sheets-Sheet l0 INVENTOR ATTOR NEY `MAKING FASTENER STRINGERS Filed April 30. 1924 17 Sheets-Sheet 1l ATTORNEY Z INV? m 0 2 .m e 3 ch 5 v nu Mw l e h S 7 1 s R Kmm cm1 ASQ BMS DH1 Nmui Umm AA SFd Gmm 1.1 MF M lNvE ToR MM ATTOR NEY Dec.=20, 1927.

G. suNDBAcK MAKING FASTENER STRINGERS Filed April 50. 1924 17 Sheets-Sheet 13 MAKING FASTENER STRINGERS Filed April 50. 1924 17 Asheets-sheet 14 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Dec, 20, 1927.

` G. sUNDBAcK MAKING FASTENER STRINGERS 17 sheets.;sheetN 15 Filed April 30. 1924 Qn MQ ATTOR N EY Dec. 20, 1927. 1,653,320

G. sUNDBAcK MAKING FASTENER STRINGERS Filed April 50. 1924 17 Sheets-Sheet 16 /48/ /54 /fa /f/ ATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1927.

' G. SUNDBACK MAKING FASTENER sTRINGERs Filed April 30. 1924 17 Sheets-Sheet 1'7 INVETOR ATTORNEY fil) Patented Dec. 20, 192

UNITED SATES PATENT OFFICE.

eiDEoN SUNDBACN, or MEADviLLs, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoR 'ro Hooxmiss FAS- TENNR COMPANY, or MEAnviLLE. PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or :PENN- sYLvANiA.

Application led Apri1 30, 1924. Serial No. 710,047.

This invention relates to a method and machine 'for making fastener stringeis from cut wire blanks by rolling operations and has for its object to reduce the cost ot production, and to increase the output of stringer machines heretofore invented by me, as shown in previous U. S. Patents #1,331,884, ot' Feb. 24, 1920, and #1,467 ,015, of September et. 1923. Said machines have been used in producing the 'fastener stringelrs shown in mv U. S. Patent #1,219,881, ot MarchZO, 19u17. and have produced many millions thereof, with the demand for such fasteners constantly increasing.

)it presenttliese fasteners are applied to various kinds ot bags, such as money', golf, hand, laundry, hat and bathing suit bags; roll-up and instrument eases; tobacco pouches; clothing such as overalls, brassires, ai'ctics, trousers, etc., and additional applications are constantly being made. E Xtension ot' the use oit' the slider actuated interlocking type ot fastener to other lields Where enormous footage at lowcost may be re quired. such as closures tor tarpaulins, tents, automobile and boat curtains, etc., has heretofore been hampered by high production cost. although suttieient has been done in these fields 'to indicate that an effective fastener produced at low cost Would enjoy a vcrv large market.

In the machine disclosed in my U. S. Patent #1.331.884, fastener member' blanks are died out ot a rolled lat alloy wire, formed with interlocking surfaces, and set in groups in spaced relation on the Stringer.

1n the machine disclosed in my U. S. Pat-- ont ,-h-liill. the Waste involved in the use o-tf a'iiat blank Wire is avoided by providing a blank alloy Wire rolled to special Y section, and transversely cutting oit blank members which are died to forni, and set in groups in spaced relation on the stringers.

Both said machines include many reciprocating parts such as dies, punches Vand setting tools` and are relatively slow in output because thereof. The product is relatively expensive both because ot' preliminary rolling and annealing operations on the Wire, and because oit' tinishing operations on the stringers auch as Wire brushing, etc., to remove bui-s. and rollingl to gauge. For a given holding power there may bean excess of metal in the stringers, which is expensive and renders the fastener objectionably heavy for many uses Where lightness is desirable, as in garments. The use ot light alloys in the previous machines does not solve this problem because such alloys are expensive, and require special and careful handling in order to be worked by deforming tools and dies as disclosed in said patents. A further element in production by the above machines which it is desired to reduce as far as possible is heavy `cost of providing, replacing, and maintaining tools and spares, since shutting down a machine to change a tool requires an expensive tool maker or machinist, and loss of production, besides considerable investment in new and spare tools.

In order to 4reduce present Wire rolling, blank forming and finishing, material, and tool costs, I have devised the novel method, machine, and interlocking jaw member herein disclosed, whereby the footage output per day ot one automatic machine is increased about ten times, with an accompanying reduction in oveiall cost of Stringer production o't over 50%. This is accomplished broadly by using previously cut blanks, and feeding, bending, forming and setting them on the Stringer tape by mechanism wherein the blanks are continuously moving While being Worked on. Such mechanism can run much faster and more smoothly than any reciprocating or intermittent mechanism heretofore employed, and will produce finished stringers Within permissible tolerance Without the expensive final bur removing and other finishing operations heretofore required.

The particular sequence ot forming operations can be varied Widely Within the broad scope ot' the invention, as will hereinafter appear. According to the preferred form of this invention, plain Wire of'predeter mined gauge is cut into blanks of uniform length which are then tumbled to remove bnrs and sharp edges. The tumbled blanks are put inv a hopper; thence arranged parallel in a magazine; then fed to rotary multiple dies to be formed; thence into engagement with the corded tape; and finally set on the tape by rolls, Without subsequent iinishing operations. The separate rolling operations comprised in forming are herein shown 4as yflattening or indenting the blank ends to increase the grip on the corded tape edge, bending to U shape, and compressing the ben-d tothe desired 'cross 'section of interlocking members.

Commercial production requires the stringers to have spaced `groups oit members, with uniform spacing` between the members ot each group, which grouping and spacing is effected in my previous machines by control ,of the tape iieed. Such method is undesirable `in this invention because ot the high speed of the rotary feeding, ttor-nr ing and setting mechanisms, although `as will be explained hereafter, a variable tape feed can be used herein for variation olf both the individual and group spacing. The large capacity ot' this machine is in the main tavored by'controlling both 4the group and individual spacing independently ot the tape feed, thereby enabling the latter to be less intermittent and independently controllable. Since the rotary dies act as carriers ot `the parallel disposed out blanks` individual sliacinfg is primarily determined by the peripheral :distance between the die recesses which can be varied within limits by varying the tape feed, while group spacing is primarily determined by periodically omit- Vting to charge a 'succession of recesses in the first feeding member with cut blanks. At the saine time, high speed and continuity in `each ,group requires that `every recess tor a group be charged with a blank, as otherwise missing members of a group have to be put on by hand. After piling the blanks in parallel -relation in :a magazine, a rotary re cessed distributor takes them one by one therefrom except where group :spaces are to `como in the string-ers. To prevent leach dis-- tributorre'cess taking a vblank trom `the mag azine, predetermined recesses are automatically blocked under control ot a pattern device, here shown as a. belt, corresponding` to the desired group spacing on the stringere. By changing the belt tor different groups oi' like individual spacing, stringcrs Aot desired group length can be fobtained.

On account of the very high speed ot this machine, which necessitates provision oi' a very large number of blanks, a special mechanism is necessary to stack `the blanks parallel in the magazine and to control the sup- Aply according to the consumption of the machine.

The invention also comprises several broad combi-nations ot means; various novel adjustments desirable for maintaining the proper angular relation between the several rotary forming devices and other Eparts ot the machine; tape control; and numerous details of construction; all of which will be neaaeao more fully understood in connection with the. description oll the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. l is a top plan view of a machine embodying the invention,

Fig.2 is an end view, seen trom the right ot.' Fig.` l,

Fig. 3 is a tront elevation seen troni the bottom `of Fig. l,

Fig'. l is an elevation on an enlarged scale ot the blank hopper, conveyor and magazine,

Fig. `5 is a top View `ot' Fig. et,

F 6 is an elevation on an enlarged scale ct the magazine, distributor, group spacing control device, and a portion ot the lirst forming die,

Fig. 7 is a section of the magazine on the line 7;? of Fig. 6, with the blanks 'omitted :from the magazine in order lo simplify the showing,

Fig. 8 is -a section ot' the conveyor on thc line 8--8 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 9 is a plan `View partly in section on line 9-9 ot Fig. 6,

Fig. l() is a detail view showing the group cont-rol belt,

F .l1 shows details ot Fig. l0,

Fig. l2 is an enlarged detail View showing the distributor bringing blanks to the iirst toiniingdie and the latter carrying on,

Fig. 13 is a plan view ot Fig. l2,

Fig. let is a section on the line lair-let ot Fig. 20,

Fig.` 15 is ya detail vie-w showing` the blank being carried by the lirst 'rorming `die ready to be impressed with the tape holdin-gl projections,

Figs. 16, 17 and 18 are detail views ot the blank after the y.tiret pressing operation,

Fig. 19 is a view ot' the pressed blank after being bent,

Fig. 2() is an elevation showing thc lirs; and second 'forming dies and the bender.

Fig. 2l is -a :section ou the line 2l-2l ol' F 3,

F ig. 22 is a section on the line 22-22 ot Fig. 20,

Fig. 23 is a detail oft `the lil'st l'orming die "showing the blank ends being rolled to torni Itape .engaging surfaces,

24 is a detail view sho-wing the bla-nk being :transferred vfrom the .tirst Tforming die `to the second die,

Fig. 25 is a detail plan View showing the punch. second formingV vdie and transiie'r ot iormed jaw nlembers vto the tape,

Fig. 26 is a detail elevation ot the .saune` Fig. 27 is va detail view on an enlarged yscale showing `li'orrning ot interlocking' surfaces on the U-shaped blanks during travel. in the die,

Fig. 28 is a detail view showing the conv tinuous setting ot the tormed members ou the tape as delivered vby the die,

Fig. 29 is a detail view showing the adjustment of the punch, i

Fig. 30 is a detail yiew showing the angular adjustment ot the rotary dies,

Fig. 31` is an elevation showing the tape feed',

Fig. 32 is an end view seen -from the right of Fig. 31,

Fig. 33 is a detail plan view partly in section ot the tape vfeeding mechanism,

Fig. 34 is a section on the line SLi-34 ot Fig. 28,

Figs. 35. 36, 3T are detail v ieu's ot a itorm of completed interlocking member, by way of example,

Fig. 38 is a detail View showing the cooperation of these members, and

Fig. 39 is an enlarged view of a completed fastener.

The blanks used in carrying out this invention are preferably cut from round alloy wire ot desired material. such alloy Wire being ot nickel silver. duralumin or other light, non-rusting alloy, or such other metal as may be desired, the only requirement be ing that it be capable ot responding to the relatively simple rolling operations herein required. The term Wire as used in this specification is intended to cover any elongated blank ot desired cross section and not merely a small section ot round drawn Wire. An important advantage of this invention resides in the elimination otl special cross section of blank, but the invention will be described with reference to blanks made trom drawn round wire. rlhe Wire as received from the mill is first cut into elongated pieces ot'fthe desired length, special care in cutting being taken to keep the ends straight with a minimum o't' flattening or burring. As one machine may use upwards ot 400,000 pieces per day, sutlicient cutting capacity must be provided to supply the machine. The next step is to tumble these cut blanks or Wires in ordinary tumbling barrels until smoothed and the cnt ends slightly rounded, whereupon the blanks are ready to be supplied to the machine.

The blanks as received from the tumbling barrel are dumped into a hopper 1, Figs. 1, 3, 4l and 5, Which is oscillated by crank shatt 2 driven by Worin gear 3, worm et on shaft 5 trom motor 6 through belt 7. S is a dis charge trough receiving the blanks through gate 9 adjustable by set screw 10. The opening under adjustable gate 9 is closed by a vibrating gate 11 adjacent trough 8 pivotcd on stud 12 and connected to rod 1o pivoted on stud 14 having bent end 15 Within the conveyor 16. 4 and i'. The trough 8 discharges into the rotary conveyor 10, in which is contained the tloating end 15 ot rod 13. As the blanks pile up in the bottom of the conveyor .10 the' rod 15 acts to close the gate 11 to restrictthe supply from the hopper to the conveyor, and vice versa. The vibrating gate 11 is thus controlled between the upper position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and the lower dotted position shown in Fie. l by floating rod 15. rlhus, when the gate l1 is lowered, the blanks will tall over its upper edge trom trough ti through chute 1T into conveyor 1G. The vibrating gate 11 controlled by the depth o'I' blanks in the bottom o'l conveyor 1G thus controls the 'teed ot blanks to the conveyor. By adjusting gate 9 the maximum amount of blanks in the con veyor is determined.

The conveyor 10 comprises a. stationary cylindrical casing 1S and a rotary disk `19 carrying slotted carrying `pins 20, Figs. l, 5, 7. The outer end ot the casing 18 is enclosed by a glass sector 21, Figs. 5, 7, and plate 22. The chute 17 is carried by plate 22 and the blanks in chute 17 enter the conveyor through a hole Q3 in plate The disk 19 is mounted on shait @el and driven in the direction ot the arrow, Fig. 11, by gear 25 through pinion 20, belt 27 and pulley 28 on shat't Figs. El and 5.

As the disk 19 revolves, each carrier pin 2 0 tends to piek up a blank in positions as illustrated in Fig. 6, it being seen that these pins 20 are longitudinally notched as at 30 ot a depth to only carry one blank. Also, as these carrier pins move upwardly, other blanks will either 'tall oit' or be knocked olt by resilient snap springs Q9 mounted on casing 1S and projecting into the path ot' the carrier pins 20. See Figs. 4, 5 and 8. These springs are lil'ted by one pin and then snapped down on the succeeding pin. rEhe slots in the casing 18 through which the springs 29 extend are torined of laminated metal plates proportioned so that the springs Q9 are smaller in diameter than the blanks, and the spacings between the Springs are also less than the diameter of the blanks. .ln this way. blanks cannot be caught in the slots containing springs Q9 nor can a blank in vertical position on aV pin Q0 be missed by one or the other of springs 29 since the spacing between thc springs is smaller than the diameter ot the blanks. ,ln this way only one blank is carried by each pin, and practically every pin will carry a blank, While the blanks carried are thus lined up parallel and practically in end alignment.

From thel conveyor pins 20 the blanks are stripped by strippers 31 on block 32 and pass upwardly in parallel contacting relation into the magazine, se Fig. (i. The strippers 31 resemble prongs of a fork and, as will be seen in Fig. 0, pass through the transverse slots in pins 20. rlhe pins Q0 are so closely spac jl relatively to the slope of strippers 31 and channel 33 that a blank which has been stripped 'from pin Q0 cannot tall back into the conveyor. Continued niotion of the disk 19 and the pins 20 thus forces 

